Arizona First Amendment Coalition

Arizona First Amendment Coalition The First Amendment Coalition is a nonprofit organization committed to freedom of speech, open government and public participation in civic affairs.

The Arizona First Amendment Coalition is a consortium of organizations dedicated to advancing free speech, accountable government & public participation in civic affairs. A SHORT HISTORY

In 1981, Arizona Republic political columnist Bernie Wynn was fed up with the slow and at times non-existent response of government agencies to requests for rightful access to public records under the Arizona Pub

lic Records Law. Particularly vulnerable to this lack of proper government response were journalists working for Arizona’s smaller media, which often lacked the resources to do legal battle with such agencies just to get access to the records they were legally entitled to examine. At Wynn’s instigation and with the cooperation of several like-minded Arizona journalists, the First Amendment Coalition of Arizona was born in October 1981 by its charter members: Arizona Broadcasters Association, Arizona Cable Telecommunications Association, Arizona Newspapers Association and the Society of Professional Journalists. The new coalition established a hotline at Phoenix law firm Brown and Bain (now Perkins Coie) that any Arizona journalist, professional or student, could call with basic legal questions about access under the Arizona Public Records Law or Arizona Open Meeting Law. In 2002, the Arizona Press Club became the coalition’s fifth charter member. The coalition celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2011 noting several Arizona Supreme Court and federal court decisions guaranteeing the right of access to government by the public and the news media began with original calls to the coalition hotline. In 2012, the coalition began to accept additional members from among Arizona media, open-government groups and like-minded individuals. The coalition is a member of the National Freedom of Information Coalition (NFOIC).

What a terrific day and event! Covering elections in the age of misinformation is a real challenge. But on Saturday, we ...
09/15/2024

What a terrific day and event! Covering elections in the age of misinformation is a real challenge. But on Saturday, we gathered some of the best journalists in Phoenix, to discuss ways to accurately inform our viewers and readers about what’s real and true - and what’s not.

Thank you to Dennis, Brahm, Lauren, Yvonne, Jessica, Mark, Garrett and Thom for sharing your experience, insight and tips.

And thanks to my co-organizers - Mark Scarp and Tim Eigo for helping to turn this from an idea into an event.

This was made possible by the collaboration of two amazing organizations. The Valley of the Sun Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and The Arizona First Amendment Coalition. Please support these groups.

Arizona journalists: Seats are limited. Sign up today!
08/25/2024

Arizona journalists: Seats are limited. Sign up today!

Attention Arizona Journalists! 📢

With the general election on the horizon, we’re highlighting an invaluable opportunity for you. On Sept. 14, SPJ’s Valley of the Sun chapter and the First Amendment Coalition of Arizona are hosting a FREE workshop, "Covering Elections in the Age of Misinformation." Featured speakers include top journalists and elections experts who will share their insights to help you navigate election coverage. This nonpartisan event is open to all Arizona journalists and journalism students.

📅 When: Saturday, Sept. 14, 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
📍 Where: Westward Ho Hotel, Phoenix

RSVP now to secure your spot: https://bit.ly/3AiMm5R

SPJ Phoenix

Hear media law attorney Peter Limperis of Miller, Pitt, Feldman & McAnally, P.C., answer questions about public records,...
02/15/2024

Hear media law attorney Peter Limperis of Miller, Pitt, Feldman & McAnally, P.C., answer questions about public records, public meetings and other access issues journalists often ask at "Getting Access 2: More Good Journalism," a free public records workshop, Saturday, March 23, in downtown Phoenix. He will be joined by several journalist panelists who will give tips on getting access to records, meetings and hearings.
The coalition recently revived its media legal hotline, and Mr. Limperis volunteered to provide free basic legal advice to Arizona journalists on access to government matters.
His presentation at the March 23 workshop will be from 1 to 1:45 p.m. The workshop's location and other details will be posted soon at https://phoenixspj.org -- information about how to contact Mr. Limperis on the coalition legal hotline is on that site now .

Serving journalists in the Phoenix metropolitan area since 1958

The Arizona First Amendment Coalition media hotline is back! At no cost, Arizona professional and student journalists ca...
01/26/2024

The Arizona First Amendment Coalition media hotline is back! At no cost, Arizona professional and student journalists can ask a media lawyer questions re access to , , in . Arizona Press Club Arizona Latino Media Association AAJA Arizona Details:

Serving journalists in the Phoenix metropolitan area since 1958

Editorial by Kim Smith of the Eastern Arizona Courier.
10/02/2021

Editorial by Kim Smith of the Eastern Arizona Courier.

On Thursday morning, I received an email from the Town of Pima informing me that when former Town Manager Sean Lewis resigned he took with him four months' salary and

Please join First Amendment Coalition attorney, Dan Barr, his Perkins Coie law partner, Markus Funk, Tonu Basu of the Op...
10/25/2020

Please join First Amendment Coalition attorney, Dan Barr, his Perkins Coie law partner, Markus Funk, Tonu Basu of the Open Government Partnership and Guido Nessi of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development for a free webinar about international issues concerning anti-corruption enforcement and government transparency that have arisen during the Covid pandemic. The discussion will be moderated by Betsy Andersen, the Executive Director of the World Justice Project. The webinar is this Wednesday, October 28th at 7 a.m. Arizona time. (Sorry about that, but two of the panelists are in Europe).

The World Justice Challenge 2021: Advancing the Rule of Law in a Time of Crisis seeks to identify, recognize, and promote good anti-corruption and open government practices and high-impact projects and policies that protect and advance the rule of law in this time of unprecedented crisis. The COVID-...

An excellent deep dive by The American Prospect on how prison officials have used the pandemic as an excuse to further b...
08/31/2020

An excellent deep dive by The American Prospect on how prison officials have used the pandemic as an excuse to further block media access to prisons. The recent experience in Arizona is discussed.

Journalists are having trouble contacting sources, and inmates who speak on the record face retaliation.

First Amendment Coalition attorney Dan Barr talks with Jimmy Jenkins of KJZZ about the Arizona Department of Corrections...
07/17/2020

First Amendment Coalition attorney Dan Barr talks with Jimmy Jenkins of KJZZ about the Arizona Department of Corrections' new, more restrictive media policy.

Arizona Department of Corrections Director David Shinn has drastically altered the department media policy regarding staff and inmate communication with the press.“Department Order 207 – Media Relations” was updated July 9, 2020, excluding an entire section regarding media access to inmates.

ABC15's Melissa Blasius on the Mesa Police Department's blurring out an entire bodycam video lasting more than half an h...
07/15/2020

ABC15's Melissa Blasius on the Mesa Police Department's blurring out an entire bodycam video lasting more than half an hour in disregard of the Arizona Public Records Law.

Mesa police claim they were legally required to completely blur the police body-worn camera video of a December officer-involved shooting prior to publicly releasing it.

Well done piece by ABC15’s Dave Biscobing.
04/28/2020

Well done piece by ABC15’s Dave Biscobing.

Arizona officials in multiple agencies are unlawfully withholding data, statistics, and information regarding COVID-19 outbreaks and abusing health privacy laws, according to top experts in public information and health privacy laws.

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Phoenix, AZ

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+15207923836

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